Zither.



PATENTED JAN. '20, 1903.

W. H. BANKS.

ZITHER.

APPLICATION 211.111) 1'33. 1. 1901.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I0 MODEL.

PATENTED JAN. 20, 1903,

W. H. BANKS.

ZITHER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1, 1901.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

NITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE WILLIAM H. BANKS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK X.

AUDET, JR., OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ZITHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,962, dated January 20, 1903.

Application filed February 1, 1901. Serial No. 45,567. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

tion of the body 7, so as to present a rounded Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. BANKS, a exterior, the said top 9 extending into close citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Zithers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

' In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, of a zither embodying one form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of a portion of the zither shown I in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a portion of the zither shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the shield hereinafter described. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

My invention comprises an improved handrest and shield for the hitch-pins of a zither or the like musical instrument and novel means of connecting the same detachably with the zither without the employment of screws and the like fastenings.

Having reference to the drawings, 1 represents the body of the instrument, which is made as usual, except that at that end thereof at which the hitch-pins 2 are applied the body 1 is formed with two vertical grooves 3 3, one in each side of the body quite near the end. These grooves 3 3 receive inwardly-projecting tongues 4 4, that are provided on the hand-rest and shield 5. The latter may vary in its general form and construction in some cases, but in the illustrated embodiment of the invention is made of a single piece of sheet metal cut and bent to the desired shape and so as to produce the said flanges. In placing the hand-rest and shield 5 in position on the instrument the lower ends of tongues 4 are entered in the upper ends of grooves 3 3, and the hand-rest and shield then is slid vertically downward into position.

The tongues 4 project inwardly from the side walls 6 of the shield, which last are integral with the body 7 of the shield.

The bottom edge of body 7 is finished by turning inwardly a narrow flange 8, which also serves to stiffen that edge.

The arched top 9 of the hand-rest and shield is made by turning over the upper porproximity to the bridge 11.

The hitch-pins 2 are, as usual, driven into the hitch-pin block 12.

As will be perceived, the hand rest and shield may readily be removed by simply raising the same, so as to slide the tongues 4 4 up ward within the grooves 3 3 and withdraw them from the latter, and it may as readily be 50 replaced.

It is desirable to provide some means of insuring against accidental upward movement of the hand-rest and shield fromits usual position, while yet leaving it free to be moved and withdrawn at will without necessitating the removal of screws or the like fastenings.

I have found a frictional holding means to work satisfactorily. I therefore arrange for causing the tongues 4 4 to take a frictional 7c hold or hearing against the opposite sides of the grooves 3 3. This I efiect by bending or curving the same lengthwise,as.shown clearly in Fig. 4.

What I claim is- 1. The combination with a zither having grooves 3 3 in the opposite sides thereof, of the detachable hitch-pin shield provided with tongues which enter the said grooves in the body of the instrument and slide therein, sub stantially as described.

2. The combination with a zither having grooves 3 3 in the opposite sides of the body thereof, of the detachable shield 5 made from a single piece of sheet metal cut and bent to the desired shape and having the top 9 and also the tongues 4 4 working in the said grooves, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a zither-body, of a detachable hand-rest and shield in sliding engagement with said zither-body and provided with means for holding the same with yielding force against movement relatively to the said body, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a zither having grooves at opposite sides of the body thereof, of the detachable hand-rest and shield having tongues working in said grooves and provided with means for holding the hand-rest and shield with yielding force against moveme meut relatively to the said body, substantially as described. v

5. The combination with a zither-body having grooves, as described, of the detachable hand-rest and shield having tongues working in said grooves and bent or curved to produce frictional engagement whereby the said hand-rest and shield are held from accidental movement, substantially as described.

6. A stringed instrument of the zither type,

having, in combination, a hand-rest and cooperating grooves and projections on the hand-rest and instrument permitting removal of the hand-rest by a sliding movement.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature I5 in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. BANKS. Witnesses:

CHAS. F. RANDALL, WILLIAM A. COPELAND. 

